Chapter 7: Become Mine
If something had really happened between her and Cecilia last night, every inch of her body had already been seen.
It’s just changing clothes here, right? Fine, she’d do it!
Rita steeled herself, clenched her teeth, and with trembling hands, undid the first button at her collar.
The act was more humiliating than she’d imagined. Though only she and Cecilia were in the room, Rita felt like an actor on a crude stage, every move scrutinized by her sole audience.
As her clothes dwindled, a strange heat enveloped her, as if burning away her reason and resistance.
“Why’d you stop?” Cecilia asked softly, gazing at Rita like an art connoisseur admiring a masterpiece.
Rita’s throat tightened, but she continued. Each second of shedding her remaining clothes felt endless.
Even when she stood bare, Cecilia’s expression remained unchanged, devoid of any emotional ripple.
Rustle, rustle.
When the familiar sensation of the revealing outfit enveloped her again, Rita’s sweat-dampened skin flushed faintly.
“Sit,” Cecilia said, her tone unusually gentle, seemingly pleased with Rita’s compliance.
Rita sat, clutching her body. This outfit had accompanied her across half a continent, but it had never felt so humiliating.
“Now, let’s talk from the beginning,” Cecilia said, neither praising nor teasing, cutting straight to the point amidst Rita’s shame. “What’s your name?”
“Rita.”
“Is that your real name?”
Of course not, but if Rita gave her real name, Cecilia would believe her even less.
“Never mind, a name’s just a label. Where are you from?”
“Pelopelo Village.”
“Do you truly want to become a Holy Knight?”
“Of course!”
“Why do you want to become a Holy Knight?”
This one I know!
Rita had rehearsed her reason for wanting to be a Holy Knight countless times before the exam. Nailing this question brought a sliver of relief.
“Holy Knights represent protection, honor, and courage…”
“Liar.” Cecilia raised a finger, pointing at Rita’s outfit. “You have no loyalty to the royal family, nor are you the type to die for honor. Courage, though, I’ll give you that.”
Was that mockery?
Definitely! No doubt about it!
“And that’s the second time you’ve lied to me.”
Cecilia’s added remark sounded more like a threat.
Rita didn’t know how much Cecilia knew or what her goal was. Her task now wasn’t becoming a Holy Knight—it was self-preservation.
The rehearsed interview spiel wouldn’t work anymore.
“I want a comfortable life,” Rita admitted through gritted teeth. “Holy Knights may lack titles or lands, but their status is higher than most. Passing the exam is the way to achieve that.”
“Hm, understandable. Holy Knights answer only to the royal family. Even generals and ministers show them deference, and commoners wouldn’t dare cross them. The job’s easy, too.” Cecilia nodded slightly, then shifted gears. “But that perfection makes it a magnet for parasites. Holy Knights are practically a den of spoiled elites now. So, where’d you get this permit?”
“Found it,” Rita answered instantly.
It was true. Fleeing the demon territory, Rita came across a carriage that had fallen off a cliff. While thanking nature’s bounty and looting, she found the permit.
“Found it? Permits are anonymous. Nobles and officials can buy them with a bit of coin—cheaper than a Princess’s life. But for commoners, getting one is near impossible. You just ‘found’ it?”
It wasn’t uncommon for a town given three permits to have two bought through shady deals. Perhaps the lack of names was the royal family’s tacit approval of such trades.
Rita had agonized over selling it or using it herself. She chose the latter.
“Exactly,” Rita insisted.
“Hm.” Cecilia dropped the issue. “Alright, let’s get to the point. Remember the question I asked when I came in? Why am I willing to be alone with you?”
As she spoke, Cecilia rose from her chair. In the dead silence, her footsteps were softer than Rita’s breathing.
Rita swallowed hard, watching as the Princess circled behind her. Cool fingers brushed her shoulder.
Was she finally going to make her move?
“You’re bold, coming to the exam with a scavenged Holy Knight permit.”
Cecilia’s fingertips grazed Rita’s shoulder, trailing to her slender nape.
A faint itch, like a bug crawling over her, made Rita let out a soft hum.
“Mmm…”
“Your goal isn’t my life. If it was, I wouldn’t be sitting here.” Cecilia’s fingers twirled a strand of Rita’s silver hair, bringing it to her nose.
Rita felt Cecilia’s warm breath on her neck, making her squirm and her voice soften. “How could I dare harm Your Highness?”
“Indeed, you wouldn’t dare harm me, but you dared climb into my bed.”
Thump.
Rita’s heart nearly stopped, her voice trembling. “W-What are you talking about?”
Cecilia inhaled lightly at Rita’s hair, the cool sensation making Rita shrink her neck further.
“The scent on your clothes, in your hair—it’s the fragrance of my bedding. Faint, but unmistakable.”
So that’s why she said the outfit was evidence?
“With so many guards, you entered and left my room unscathed, didn’t try to kill me, didn’t touch me, and didn’t rummage through my things.”
Rita was the one pinned down! Of course she didn’t do anything!
Wait, hold on.
Guards? What guards?
From sneaking in last night to leaving this morning, Rita hadn’t seen so much as a mouse besides the Princess.
From the lack of guards last night to today’s assassination, Cecilia’s situation seemed complicated.
“Now here you are, spinning flimsy lies, nothing like the clever, powerful person I imagined. I can’t read you at all. That’s why I wanted to meet you myself.”
“Rita.”
Cecilia’s fingers trailed down, grazing her spine, her waist, pausing where she’d grabbed Rita’s tail last night. Though nothing was there now, Cecilia’s nail scraped lightly over the skin.
“Become mine.”